For agribusiness professionals tracking value-added product trends, the story of Celine’s Best—a small food truck operation on the island of O’ahu—offers a compelling microcosm of the broader shifts occurring in the global potato processing industry. The company recently launched “potato sticks,” a novel take on french fries featuring a crispy cheese crust and soft interior, available in six topping variations including garlic cheese, teriyaki mayo, and chipotle barbecue [source text]. This product innovation arrives at a time when the global potato processing market is experiencing robust expansion, valued at over USD $43 billion in 2025 and projected to grow at a CAGR between 5.5% and 5.97% through the mid-2030s . The growth is driven by increasing consumer demand for convenience foods and the rapid expansion of the foodservice sector, including quick-service restaurants and mobile food enterprises . The success of Celine’s initial offerings, such as bacon ranch waffle dogs, and its newest potato-based creation reflects a wider industry pivot toward product differentiation and flavor innovation to capture consumer interest in a competitive snack market .
From an operational and supply chain perspective, Celine’s Best exemplifies the agility required in today’s potato value chain. By participating in mobile food events like “What the Truck?!” and night markets across O’ahu, the business model aligns with research indicating that foodservice channels, particularly those serving “ready-to-cook” and snack segments, are key demand drivers for processed potato formats . Owner Celine Chung’s strategic flexibility—allowing her menu to evolve from waffle dogs to include fries, nachos, and now specialty potato sticks—mirrors the advice found in industry forecasts, which encourage processors and foodservice operators to invest in flexible production capabilities and channel-specific commercial playbooks . Her use of a rediscovered waffle iron to create the new potato stick product is a small-scale example of the “modular processing” and rapid SKU experimentation that market analysts recommend for larger players navigating shifting consumer preferences . As the global market diversifies into frozen specialties, dehydrated formats, and innovative snacks, businesses like Celine’s Best demonstrate how localized adaptation and creative product development can capture emerging opportunities within the broader, multi-billion-dollar potato processing ecosystem .
